Overview
- Graphic clips shared on social platforms in late September show deceased climbers high on Everest, prompting outrage and ethical questions about continuing ascents.
- The Death Zone above roughly 8,000 meters is described by experts as causing severe hypoxia, thicker blood, cognitive decline and muscle failure that undermine survival.
- More than 340 climbers have died on Everest, and over 200 bodies are unrecovered in upper sections where retrieval is often too dangerous and prohibitively costly.
- Standard routes—the South Col in Nepal and the North Ridge in Tibet—pose constant threats from extreme cold near −40 °C, violent winds, avalanches and the shifting Khumbu Icefall that has killed many, including Sherpa guides.
- Everest rises about 8,849 meters on the border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and climbing permits alone can cost around $10,000.